Toweling dispensing apparatus



Oct. 25, 1938.. RG, Blf-QR l 29134-9631' TOWELING DISPENSING APPARATUS Hasma ZSMEB,

.@ct 25 w3. R. G. BIRR TOWELING DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 19363 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN-ron @et 25,1938., I A R1, am ,2,134,631

- TOWELING DISIFENSINGr APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1936` 3 Sheets-Sheet 3ATTORNEYS Patentedct. 1938 UNITEDQSTATES PAT-.ENT oFFiCE properVdispensing by n 2,134,631 x V'rovvELnvc msPENsING APPARATUS ration Yof,Utah Application May 18, 1936, serial No. 80,267

v claims. (o1. 16A-84.5)V

This inventionrelates to -towel dispensing apparatus and has, among itsobjects, to 'provide an improved stop mechanismhaving a manuallyopferable stop release element so. arranged with ref- 5` erence to adispensing control element, that means of saidicontrol element cannottake place while the stop :release element is being manually maniplated.l

Another object is to provide a stop mechanism which is tamper-proof,that' is which cannot be so manipulated that `a continuousdispensingoperation is obtainable.

i Another object is to provide a crank-controlled feeding mechanism anda stop mechanism hav'- ing a stop release element so associatedA withthecrank -that said element can `be moved tostop releasing position by afinger of the saine hand which operates the crank, and while the handremains in position o hand.

to thereafter operate` the crank with but slight change-of position ofthe Another object is to provide a part manually movable to release thestop, in combination with a crank adapted to be given a plurality ofrotations to dispense the needed amount of toweling,

`and with said crank and said part so related that unless said partoccupies a certain position,

the crank cannot be given more than one consecutive rotation.

Another feature of the invention relates to the Y arrangement of atear-'off knife abovejbut'adjacent the bottom of the cabinet and theassociation therewith ofY a guard which, with the'knife or its support,forms a downwardly leading throat delivering the Vpaper, from the bottomof 4 of the cabinet.

Another feature relates to the use of the knife support as la hingingsupport for the cover, and

another feature relates to theformation of the knife and hingingmeansfrom a single piece of material.

Another feature relates tothe-arrangement of the towel supply shelf,feeding means, knife and guard at the bottom of the cabinetgiving-an'iaximum of space for the towel supply so that the supplycapacity of th creased.

Another feature relates tothe e .machineis veryvmuch ,in-

arrangement of knife support,guard,.frolls and` supplyrfroll sup port asanf anti-'tamp 515: the cabinet..

ering closurelor bottom for Other-features of the invention include alldetails of construction shown, along with the broader ideas of meansinherent in the .dis-

closure.

Objects, features and advantages of .the in- `vention will be set forthin the description of the drawings forming a part of .this application,and in said drawings Figure 1 is a front View of the cabinet andmechanism with the cover in non-covering'position;

Figure 2 is a plan section substantially on line 2 2 `of Figure 4, butwith 4the cover closed;

Figure 3 is a-vertical cross-section taken ape proximately on line 3-3of Figure `2; 15

Figure 4 is a verticalcross-section taken approximately on line lll-J1ofFigure 2, and 'showing the dipsensingrand stop mechanisms;

Figure 5'is a vertical cross-section taken approximately on line 5--45ofFigure 1 showing the 20 stop mechanism, in stop position, and With thecover closed; a

`Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the stop released,and in its limit release position, as whenthe'nger is holding it in suchposition; and

'Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing the stop releaseelement'as after release by the finger, and fjust beforeV dispensing hasbegun.

In the drawings, numeral I generally indicates the casing of a wall typeof cabinet, open at the extreme bottom, and having a top and front coveror closure element 2 hinged at the 4lower front` of the casing as at 3torswing'downwardly to the position 4ofrFigures l Vand. 4., The'coverhas -at its upper rear edge a lock 5, keeper 6 mounted on the back walll of the casing. .Within the cabinet, spaced upwardly from its bottomand extending from the back I to a point spaced inwardly from the cover2, is Ya support IU for a roll. II of toweling material, in thisinstance paper toweling. Flanking this shelf, one on each side, arevertical plates I2 and I3 spaced from the ends. Ill-I5 of the casing asbest shown inFigures `l and 2. These plates are suitably connected `tothe back 'I by bolts Iifand'the plates extend to the bottom of thecasing.

Suitablylsupported by the plates I2 and I3-is towel feeding meanscomprising, in this instance, a measuring roll 20 havingV a shaft 2l o rany suitable extensions,journa1ed in the plates. A second roll 22 actingas a pinch roll -has a shaft 23, see Figure 4, the vopposite ends ofwhich are slidable in horizontal slots 25 of the plates I2'and I3.Springs ZBaCt-againstthe shafts-topressthelroll 22 against the roll 20.Referring to Figure 3, the toweling 28 passes downwardly around a smoothforward edge 29 of the toweling supply support I0, thence between therolls, thence downwardly between a guard 30 and channel element 3|. Thechannel element has a tear-off knife consisting of teeth 32 formed onits inner flange 33. This channel also provides hinging elements 34 onthe other or outer ange 35, which cooperate with similar elements 36 ofthe cover and with a pintle 31 to form a hinge for the cover 2.

The flange 33 and guard 30 form a kind of throat downwardly throughwhich the toweling passes. The throat is offset rearwardly from avertical line passing through the meeting points of the rolls 20 and 22.The toweling, in this instance, is paper, and when it has assumed theposition of Figure 3, is adapted to be torn off by pulling forwardlyagainst the teeth 32. The teeth or knife are so positioned and guardedas Ato avoid accidental injury to the fingers.

An important feature of this invention is the means for controllingdispensing and for limiting feed so that only a predetermined length ofpaper is delivered at each dispensing operation. This means includes,see Figures 1 and 4, a spur gear 40 on shaft 2l disposed on the outerside of plate I3. Mounted on a suitable bearing stud carried by theplate I3 is a pinion 4I meshing with `the gear 4Il. Pinion 4I has acrank arm 42 having a handle 43. The arm on that side facing the gears,see Figure 1, is provided with a transverse groove 45, the purpose ofwhich will be presently disclosed. Meshing also with the gear 40 is alarger gear 50 rotative on a suitable bearing stud 5I, also carried bythe plate I3. A suitable pawl 52 engages the gear to prevent reversemovement thereof, and therefore reverse movement of the said roll 20.The gear 50 has thereon a stop lug 54.

The relative pitch diameters of the gears are such that a plurality ofcomplete rotations of the crank are necessary to dispense the given ornecessary amount of toweling. In this case, substantially three completerotations of the crank from the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 arenecessary to cause lug 54, to make one complete rotation from the stopposition of those figures again to that stop position.

At the end'of each feeding operation, the lug 54 engages with the stop60 of a manually movable release plate 6I. This plate is translatablymounted on the bearing studs for gears 4I and 50. The bearing stud 5Ihas a collar 64 thereon, see Figure 5, Athe sides of slot 63 of plate 6Islidably engage this collar. The plate has another slot 66 looselysurrounding a collar 61 on bearing stud 6B for gear 4I. Referring toFigure 5: In stop position, or just after impact of 54 with 60, the side69 of this slot is in contact with the sleeve while the side I0 isspaced from the sleeve. One edge of the plate is provided with a notch'II merging into a camming surface 12. A projection 'I3 mounted on plateI3 is engaged by the cam when the plate 6I is pushed upwardly in thedirection 4of the arrow A, see Figure 6, by the finger applied against ahorizontal lateral extension 15.

The extension 'I5 acts as means to prevent more than one rotation of thecrank when the plate 6I is in the limit release position of Figure 6,and is arranged at the bottom of the plate in certain relation to theslot 45 of the crank handle. As positioned in Figure 5, the extension'I5 coincides with the motion path of the slot, so that center.

after release of the stop 60, 54, by pushing the plate 6I up and thenreleasing it, the crank can be given several rotations to complete thedispensing operation.

Referring to Figure 6, which shows the plate as after being pushed toits upper limit by the nger, it will be noted that the cam I2 hasengaged the pin 13 and caused the plate to rock to dispose the stop 60over stop lug 54, the plate during this movement having swung about thesleeve 64 as a On removal of the finger, the plate falls to the positionof Figure 7 with the stop extension 60 resting on the top of the lug 54.The side 'I0 of the slot is now against the collar, as shown in Figure7.

With the latch positioned as in Figure 6, the element 'I5 is not in theline of the motion path of the slot, and therefore the edge I6 of thecrank will, at or near the end of a single revolution, abuttingly engagethe element 'I5 as a stop to prevent further rotation of the crank. Inthis way, it is impossible to operate the crank except 4for onerevolution, while the latch element is held by the finger in theposition of Figure 6. As the crank is turned from its Yposition ofFigure '7, the stop lug 54 rides from beneath the stop extension 60, andthe latch immediately drops to the position of Figure 5.

The general operation is as follows: With the parts positioned as inFigures 4 and 5, the operator, with a part of his hand engaged with thecrank, pushes the slide upwardly with his index finger to the limitposition of Figure 6, after which he releases the plate to allow it tofall to the position of Figure 7. Then by slight change of position ofthe fingers, he grasps the crank handle and gives it three turns to feedthe toweling to tear-olf position. At the end of this operation, the lug54 has again assumed the stop position of Figures 4 and 5.

If an attempt is made to continuously operate the feed crank whileholding the latch in the position of Figurer, the edge 'I6 of the crankwill after the rst rotation or part rotation engage the safety stop 'I5of the latch plate, because, under these conditions, the stop 'I5 is notpositioned in the motion path of the slot 45 of the crank.

Referring first to Figures 4 and 5 in which the stops are shown instopping position, the operator now releases the stop as in Figure 6 bytranslating the element 6I to its position in that figure. As he doesthis the cam 12, engages the stationary pin 'I3 and swings or tilts thelower part of the element SI in clockwise direction about the element 64as a center, thus bringing the stop 60 to a point over the stop 54. Onrelease of 6I, the same assumes the position shown in Figure 7. Theoperator now turns the crank 42 in counterclockwise direction, that isin a direction away from 15, and, after a relatively short distance oftravel of 42 in that direction, 54 also moving in counterclockwisedirection, passes from beneath 60 and 6I immediately drops to theposition of Figure 5 to again be in path of the element 54. The stop 54will then eventually engage the right hand side of 60, as in Figure 5.

I claim as my invention: Y

1. A towel dispensing apparatus having a stop mechanism including, apart manually movable to release the stop, a crank-operated dispensingmechanism in Which a plurality of rotations of the crank are necessaryto dispense a given amount of toweling following movement of said part`to release position, and means respectively associated with said partand said crank when said part is at its limit of release position andcooperative to prevent more'than one rotation of the crank while thestop is in release position.

2. A towel dispensing apparatus having a stop mechanism including, 'aslide movable by the finger to release the stop, a crank-operateddispensing mechanism in which a plurality of rotations of the crank arenecessary to dispense the needed amount of toweling, said crank and parthaving parts so related that the crank cannot be given more than oneconsecutive rotation while the slide is at its stop-release position.

3. A towel dispensing apparatus having means for feeding towelingincluding a crank operated spur gear train, one of the gears having astop lug, and said gear making one complete rotation only after repeatedrotations of the crank, a latch slidably mounted and having a stopengaged by the stop lug to prevent operation of the feeding means, meansfor causing the stop to rest on the lug after ther latch has been movedto stop release position, and means respectively associated with thecrank and said latch and i cooperative to prevent more than one rotationof lated following engagement of the stops, as to cause the stop of theplate to assume and be maintained in non-stop relation to the lug topermit the lug to move when the crank is operated.

5. A towel dispensing apparatus having a crank-operated towel dispensingmechanism, a stop mechanism for said dispensing mechanism including aslide which normally is in stop position but which must be moved by theuser to release the stop mechanism, saidv slide having a lug and saidcrank having a groove'which is registrable With the lug to permitcomplete rotation of the crank only when said slide is at anintermediate non-stop position.

6. A towel dispensing apparatus having a crank-operated towel dispensingmechanism in which the crank must be given a plurality of completerotations to dispense the proper amount of toWeling, a stop mechanismfor said dispensing mechanism including a part which must be moved bythe user to release stop mechanism, and means respectively on saidpart'and crank so arranged that the crank cannot be given more than onecomplete revolution while said part is held at limit stop releaseposition by the user.

,7. A `towel dispensing cabinet having a feed roll having a rst gear, asecond gear meshing with the first gear and having a stop thereon,

means rotatably mounting the second gear, a third gear meshing with thefirst gear, and means rotatably mounting Vsaid third gear, and astopvplate translatably mounted on the mounting means for said second andthird gears, and movable into and out of the path of said stop of thesecond gear.

RUDOLPH G. BIRR.

